1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods of controlling the flow of water through a water supply line into a residential or commercial structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods that enable or prevent the flow of water through supply piping depending upon a variety of external conditions.
2. Prior Art Statement
Water is supplied to most residential and commercial structures through the use of underground water supply lines. The water supply lines receive water from either a municipal source or a private well. Once the underground water supply lines enter a building, they interconnect with the water supply plumbing within that structure. The supply plumbing leads to toilets, sinks, washing machines, dish washers and the like.
The water supplied to a building through a water supply line is typically under pressure. As such, if a leak were to occur in the supply plumbing or in the fixtures that terminate the supply plumbing, water would continue to leak into that building indefinitely. Accordingly, even small leaks can result in substantial volumes of water being released over time. As such, even small leaks can cause flooding or other structural damage to a building.
Flooding caused by leaking plumbing or broken water fixtures causes millions of dollars worth of damage each year. To help reduce the incidence of such types of flooding, prior art devices have been developed that help reduce the amount of damage caused by such flooding.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,472 to Gordon, entitled Leak Sensing Alarm And Supply Shut-Off Apparatus, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,561 to Wendel, entitled Wireless System For Detecting And Stopping Leaks, both show systems that use water sensors to detect a leak. Once water is detected on the ground by a sensor, the system automatically shuts off the flow of water into the building. The problem with such systems is that leaks do not always occur near a water sensor. Accordingly, significant flooding and damage can occur prior to water flowing to one of the water sensors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,384 to Frasier, entitled Electronic Water Utility Safety Apparatus, shows an anti-flooding system that monitors the flow of water through the water supply line of a building. If the flow of water surpasses a maximum threshold, then the flow of water is automatically halted.
A problem with such prior art systems is that very small leaks often occur in plumbing. The small leaks usually do not result in a flow of water that exceeds a maximum threshold. As such, such prior art systems are ineffective in preventing damage from small leaks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,264 to Bjorkman, entitled Method And Apparatus For Automatically Controlling A Water Supply Using Movement Detection Means, shows a system that uses the burglar alarm system of a home to control water flow. The burglar alarm system has motion sensors in the various rooms of the house. If no motion is detected in the house, the flow of water into the house is stopped. If the burglar alarm system detects a person in the house, water is permitted to flow as normal.
Such a system has many disadvantages. The system prevents dishwashers, washing machines and automated lawn sprinklers from activating when a person is not at home or is asleep. Furthermore, it requires that the burglar alarm system of the home be modified with additional sensors so that the system can detect when a person is in a shower or using the toilet.
In view of the complexities of prior art systems, a need clearly exists for a simple, low cost system and method that can stop the flow of water when a leak develops, yet does not interfere with the flow of water during everyday use. This need is met by the present invention as described and claimed below.